Information about Colchester Foodbank Charity incorporating Wivenhoe Foodbank and Brightlingsea Foodbank.

1. Colchester Foodbank

2. Colchester Foodbank
How it all began………..
Colchester Foodbank started in 2008 as a result of a group
of people getting together to think through and discuss a
way to respond to the challenges of the ‘Credit Crunch’ in
Colchester.
Bags of food were collected and stored in a house …then
in the Salvation Army Citadel, the Big Yellow, and finally at
Moorgate Business Park where we are now.

3. At any time a situation at home can change…
With the arrival of an email…
a phone call
or a letter…
Someone may have lost a job… become ill and cannot work;
A job may be low paid or there may be a zero hours contract with
uncertain working hours.
Benefits may have changed, or benefits may have been delayed

4. Nothing can be taken for granted…
When there is not enough money to pay all the bills...
Rent, heat, light, council tax or if an unexpected bill
arrives…
What is left to buy food?

5. Colchester Foodbank
Why do we need a Foodbank?
To make it possible for people to receive
a food parcel when they are in a crisis
To give support, help and advice in order
to hopefully change circumstances

6. With a baby on the way, the foodbank was a life saver to
Suzanne & her family when she and her husband were
both forced out of work due to redundancy and illness.

7. Charlotte had two jobs, but she was made redundant from
both jobs within a month, she was thrown into a crisis,
leaving her unable to afford food or the gas to heat her flat.

8. Colchester Foodbank
What does the Foodbank look like?
The How do we do it?

9. The food arrives.....

10. We weigh in, date check & sort
all donations for redistribution

11. Colchester Foodbank
What happens at the Foodbank?
Our Foodbank works with over a 100 different agencies, such as the Job Centre,
Open Door, Open Road, Signpost. Beacon House, Citizens Advice, Churches,
Schools, Children’s Centres, Community Mental Health Team, Christians Against
Poverty, other charities and other Health professionals.
When a client visits a referral agency they will take some basic details.
This helps them to identify the cause of the crisis and offer practical guidance...
and a food voucher could be given.
Once a client has a FOOD voucher, they can visit the Foodbank where it is
exchanged for three days emergency food...or 10 meals, and other items such
as toiletries and washing/cleaning liquid
A client should only receive 3 parcels in 6 months. We are compassionate and
in discussion with the agency, we have helped people for a longer period.

12. Colchester Foodbank
In the ‘Meet and Greet’ area..
We welcome our clients with a smile and give them a cup
of tea to make them feel more comfortable.
We listen to our clients and try and help to solve their
problems, we advise them of people who can help...
We try to give our clients hope.....

13. Colchester Foodbank
August 2017
We helped feed 269 adults
We helped feed 136 children
We gave out 54 family parcels and 153 standard parcels
From August 2016 to July 2017
We helped feed 3478 adults
We helped feed 2612 children
And gave out
743 family parcels and 1879 standard parcels (up to 2 people)

14. Colchester Foodbank Mid year figures
Between 1st
April and 30th
September 2017
16.6% increase in emergency food supplies
given to local people by Colchester Foodbank
2,874 three day emergency food supplies
were provided to local people in crisis
compared to 2,464 in 2016.
14.1% increase to children 1,005 from 881
18% increase to adults 1,869 from 1,583

15. Colchester Foodbank
How do we collect our food?
Supermarkets, Schools, Churches, Businesses, communities
and individuals donate to the Foodbank.
Our Facebook or Twitter pages regularly highlight the items
we need.
Food is also collected at special ‘Supermarket Collection
Days’: These events held at supermarkets where volunteers
give shoppers a ‘foodbank shopping list’ and ask them to buy
an extra item or two.

16. Colchester Foodbank
There are always collection /boxes baskets
at these supermarkets with lists of what
the Foodbank needs:
Marks & Spencer
ASDA
Coop
Sainsburys
Tesco
Waitrose

17. We are now part of FareShare with a weekly
collection from Tesco Hythe and Tesco
Brightlingsea.

18. A food parcel contains…
something for breakfast, lunch and
tea/dinner ..and a few little snacks

19. Colchester Foodbank
What food is given out?
Long life juice and long life milk
Tinned soup
Baked beans/ spaghetti/ravioli
Tinned potatoes
Tinned meat and fish
Tinned vegetables
Pasta/Rice Pasta sauces
Rice pudding /tinned custard
Tinned fruit jam
Tea /coffee, biscuits
If someone has a food allergy, or for cultural reasons cannot eat certain
meats or has not got the facilities to cook the food given, we exchange
items..

20. Our Christmas project…..
CHRISTMAS FOOD APPEAL
In the 3 weeks leading up to Christmas, we aim to provide ‘Christmas Cheer’
parcels.
We ask people to buy any item from the list and donate to the Foodbank.
 Tinned ham
 Box of biscuits
 Children’s selection box
 Small box of assorted sweets
 Small fancy cakes or Yule log
 Snacks, crisps or nibbles
Last year, so many generous people in Colchester gave to the cause and
supported our appeal that over 500 parcels were made.
Our clients were very grateful for the extra parcel which made them feel
that someone was thinking of them. ...

21. Colchester Foodbank
Its not just about food!
We are able to support our clients in other ways for example by:
Signposting to other agencies
making phone calls for clients
Recommending Job/work clubs
Support agencies at the Foodbank
 Weekly visit by ‘One Support’
worker visits
Mental Health Advocacy worker
In the future- Citizens Advice Bureau.

22. Partnership
Our foodbank is run by local volunteers and one paid manager
– we rely on the community’s support to ensure we can continue to
stop people going hungry.
It costs £1,500 a month to fund the warehouse and utility costs
We ask people to invest in the future of our foodbank and to help us
provide the much-needed support to help people in crisis in our
community.
There are a number of ways to get involved:
 Volunteering to help in the Foodbank
 Adopting the Foodbank as a ‘Charity of the Year’
 Organising a fundraising event
 Run a food drive within work place offices.
 Pound Aid

23. Money
 The kind people of Colchester donate food which enables up to give well over 200
emergency food parcels every month feeding about 500 people every month.
 We have over 40 volunteers and only one paid member of staff
  We store the food items,
  We welcome clients providing tea, coffee, cakes and biscuits.
  We signpost them to agencies who can help them.
 It now costs £1,500 a month to provide this vital service.
 We are looking for 500 people to give just £1 per month, and
100 people to £10 per month, by standing order, so that we can
continue to meet the needs of those who are struggling to feed
themselves and their families
 Your £1 will enable the Foodbank to run for about half an hour.
Can you help us?
 https://youtube.com/watch?v=9ekH4r3_lhg

24. We always need ‘Bags for Life’ to pack the food in for our clients

25. Colchester Foodbank
Volunteers

26. Colchester Foodbank
Unit 33 Moorside Business Park
Eastgates
CO1 2ZF
Tel: 01206 621998
info@colchester.foodbank.org.uk
Registered Charity no: 115287 in England, Wales and Scotland
@Colchfbank
@FoodBankColchester

27. Wivenhoe Foodbank
Launch 7th
December 2017
Existing Demand October 2016 - September 2017
Wivenhoe Cross 14 adults and 2 children
Wivenhoe Quay 35 adults and 18 children
Access barriers to overcome
Cost of travel to Colchester
Knowledge of access to Foodbank in Wivenhoe